My partner and I first heard about El Alux in our Lonely Planet (LP) Guide. The few sentences that LP had provided made the bar/restaurant sound interesting enough to warrant a visit while we were in Playa Del Carmen.

At around 5pm we jumped in a taxi with the plan of hitting the bar for a quick drink before heading out to dinner - six hours later we made it out to dinner!

El Alux is most definitely stupefying - it's a real, alive cave that has been turned into an amazing bar, restaurant and series of winding passageways that lead to various VIP bars and hang-outs complete with growing stalagmites and stalactites and the coolest of uber-cool decor. Think 007.

Walking down into the cave you're first greeted by hosts at the entrance and shown into either the bar or restaurant. I can't speak for the food but the cocktails were amazing. Costing around $7 US, each of the cocktails were stamped with the bars signature take on the drink, many even created purely by the bar itself and utilizing traditional Mexican ingredients. My partner and i managed to work our way through almost the entire cocktail menu with the help and recommendation of one very attentive waiter (the service here is top notch).

Before leaving we tipped our waiter a tidy sum and were treated to a personal tour of the cave and all it's nooks and crannies. If you ask nicely the bar staff should be happy for you to take a wander through the VIP passageway which links the separate restaurant and bar. It's an absolutely breath-taking little walk so don't leave the bar before asking if you can make the trip.

El Alux is up-market and certainly pricey in comparison to most other options available in Mexico but it's still dirt cheap considering the prices at home. If you're really pinching your pennies but enjoy a good drink and an exciting experience, splash out just this once - it will certainly be worth experiencing the location and the taste of El Alux's personalized cocktails.